


It’s Free Real Estate

by aadoraa



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, catra is a ghost and glimmer just wants to make money
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2020-12-14 12:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21015446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aadoraa/pseuds/aadoraa
Summary: “Okay, fine. You can sell this stupid building and get your stupid check under one condition- you help me move on to the afterlife.”Selling the orphanage your father was fond of in order to pay your mother’s crumbling business looked like the obvious choice for any broke college student. Unfortunately for Glimmer, the ghost that haunted said orphanage named Catra didn’t feel the same way.





	1. If you’re going then go

**Summary: **Selling the orphanage your father was fond of in order to pay your mother’s crumbling business looked like the obvious choice for any broke college student. Unfortunately for Glimmer, the ghost that haunted said orphanage named Catra didn’t feel the same way.

**It’s Free Real Estate**

01 - If you’re going then go

There was a sense of cruel irony, incredibly cruel, that Glimmer was broke. Now, Glimmer wasn’t dirt poor, the kind of poor that people had to work triple jobs and practically beg for money in advance to picky family member digging their path to hell.

But Glimmer was, compared to what had always been her lifestyle, broke. It was easy to roll your eyes and play off Glimmer as “a spoiled rich brat”- she would have done the same in another life. Except the bills were accumulating, her family’s businesses were flopping, her bank account was nearing the negatives, and her million dollar inheritance was nowhere to be found.

It had gotten to the point where the once richest family in all of Brightmoon had to _ sell _ their hard earned properties. That’s how desperate the whole ordeal had gotten, selling the family home her father had loved and built with his own hands. (And by properties, she meant eleven rooms, four bathrooms, two pools, a movie theater, three floors, and an elevator type of homes. Yeah, _ embarrassing _.)

Glimmer had always been active in her role as the next heir to, well, what everyone deemed the kingdom of Brightmoon. It was not a kingdom, they were a democracy (probably) and the name only stemmed from rumors of Angella’s “queen” status. Of course, they were just rumors, yet Glimmer wouldn’t have put it past her angelic mother to have actually been connected to the Queen of England herself.

Anywho, years of business studies, internships at the best companies and even her closeness to obtaining a spot at a prominent law school failed to prepare Glimmer for the grim reaper of bankruptcy. It was almost infruitating, how one day she was with her mother in the heart of Italy, dining at only the best restaurants, and how the next she was mourning the loss of her mother (and the loss of her money). She guessed that was it- her life had crumbled in the blink of an eye and Glimmer was done for.

Instead of dancing in the center of Athens and shopping in a European country, Glimmer was up at three a.m. in her mother’s house- the only place she could find comfort in. And even then she was about to sell it. There was a half-finished pizza next to a Macbook and opened soda cans and pints of ice cream on the table in front of her. There were dark bags under her eyes and a pen wrapped in her curls, forgotten by time.

She wasn’t alone, her best friend of childhood sitting across from her and actually enjoying their meal. The boy was seemingly ignoring the fact that he had a four hour History class to go to tomorrow, a fact that Glimmer was both academically terrified but selfishly glad. Bow had been with her in every step of the way and now was not an exception.

Coming from a wealthy family of his own (not like Glimmer’s, but definitely in the spectrum), Bow had always been a member of Glimmer’s life. They met at a boarding school and chose to stay together for the rest of their life. They vacationed, partied, existed and practically shared the same breath. When Angella had died, he and his family had helped Glimmer stay afloat.

She would always, always, always be grateful for that.

“Alright, so if we sell the East Dawn apartment complex, we can safely transfer residents without harming them _ and _manage to make a decent profit. That could help pay off at least 23% of the business investors your mom worked with.” Bow clicked his tongue, scribbling away in his notepad. “I can start drawing up the contracts with the lawyers and looking for sellers first thing tomorrow.”

“You mean, first thing in the morning.” The young woman yawned, rubbing her eyes. “Gosh, I need ice cream and coffee or both.”

Spending the night in her mom’s home nestled with junk food wasn’t her typical Thursday activity. Bow had class in the morning and Glimmer had dedicated Thursdays to studying for the next week.

Bow blinked, shifting his chocolate brown eyes towards pints of ice cream in front of them. He reached for one labeled _ COFFEE _and handed it to her with a soft smile. “I was looking through your mom’s properties and wow! I think we can make a pretty penny selling the vacation houses in Italy.”

Glimmer notably pouted. The homes in Florence had been the gem of her father’s crown. There were so many memories bundled in the line of brick houses. Her father had started there, in a rash attempt to not fail and keep something he had lost in Asia alive.

“Bow, I don’t know about _ that _.”

No, she didn’t whine because she wanted to ride motorcycles in Florence. She didn’t want the gelato or the pastas. She didn’t want the flowy dresses or the puffy skirts. She wanted her father’s memory, the kindness in his eyes and a heart full of dreams that were never accomplished preserved within the walls of Italy’s houses.

Glimmer felt like she was failing miserably at keeping her father’s memory alive.

“Well....” They had printed out photos of the properties- ten apartment complexes, three hotels, several mobile parks, various houses and homes, many small businesses, and four buildings left untouched. Most of the parks and homes had been sold in less than two weeks after her mother’s death. Glimmer was working on the details of the hotel’s, but that alone would not help cover the expenses.

Glimmer cursed the set age of her inheritance under her breathe. Yeah, her mother’s extensive skincare routine was at fault. No one thought she would die at the age of forty with the skin of a twenty year old.

Each property had a file, pictures with stories hidden within. They had color-coded each, looking for options to sell and others to invest money in for future use. Glimmer squinted her eyes, ignoring the soothing indie music playing from Bow’s phone. She touched file after another, before settling on the second to last. Skimping through its contents, Glimmer smirked and waved the file at her friend.

“This is a cheap buck.”

_ “The Horde” — ORPHANAGE IN “FRIGHT ZONE” EST. 1967. _

Glimmer looked through the file beforehand and in summary was a haunted orphanage. A daily thing, nothing out of the ordinary. There was nothing better to do with it since her mom had no prewritten ideas of what the place could become.

And so Glimmer decided to sell the somehow still standing, unused orphanage building for a quick couple thousands. Smiling in satisfaction, she took a spoonful of ice cream and savored it.

“Okay, let’s keep going.”

✰

Glimmer didn’t like the Fright Zone. Bow was fond of it because of the _little shops_that the ex-heiress found too metallic and bland. Transportation to the Fright Zone was also a factor that made the trip more distasteful- sitting in a cramped bus with military hopefuls and people who were up to no good for an hour and a half._  
_

The young woman subconsciously held on to her bag tighter, her lips forming a straight line as she straightened her back. The boy next to her was busy fiddling with a gaming device, making the occasional comment about weekend plans or whatever was on the news. 

Sighing, she turned her phone on and gazed at her lockscreen. It was a photo of her mother holding a newborn Glimmer, the seemingly angelic being smiling widely and looking down to her daughter with such love and adoration. Her mother hadn’t aged one bit, apart from the occasional wrinkle time could not prevent. She still had her signature fluffy strawberry blonde hair and those alluring eyes of hers. 

“It’ll be okay.” She weakly smiled. “I’ll fix this somehow, mom.”

Arriving to the outskirts of the Fright Zone took two hours instead of the schedule ninety minutes. Upon arrival, they had to search their way through the woods, stopping locals occasionally to ask for directions. Finding the orphanage took less than half an hour, something Glimmer was relieved about. 

A typical Friday afternoon would have been spent in Brightmoon’s crowned university. Bow liked going bowling, Glimmer liked shopping. Bow liked food and Glimmer liked coffee. They often spent Fridays at the mall or crashing someone else’s plans.

Now she was wasting her Friday on a haunted location in hope for some quick cash.

There were two slash two and a half facts everyone should know about Glimmer.

One, Glimmer had her own money. Everyone knew that. The girl had bought her first piggy bank at the age of five and insisted on depositing the loose hundred bills her mom gave her inside. Once she learned what a bank account was, it was over for everyone.

Although it was easy to guess that Angella was the type of mom to simply hand her daughter a check every morning in place of lunch sack, the truth was that Glimmer always smart with her money. By the age of fifteen, she had invested in a couple of social marketing companies and had earned over 15k in profit. She bought one apartment building and even made a merch line for “vloggers”. Over the years, her empire somewhat grew and Glimmer was proud.

So how on Earth did she get hit so hard by her mother’s death?

The autumn air filled the room, a fireplace lit in the chimney of what had once been the infamous Horde orphanage.

The second thing to know about Glimmer was that Glimmer believed in fate. She believed, somehow, that this was the _ path _for her. Sure, it was an agonizing, despairing path that the higher ups had set for her, but there had to be something at the end of the road! Glimmer wasn’t always much of an optimist (and she still was not)- Bow’s mentality had rubbed on her just a bit. And she was okay with it.

Glimmer didn’t know much about the Horde’s orphanage, she only know what google could tell her and what she had heard in the news years ago when she was fifteen. There were cases of child abuse and military training (as expected, she guessed) and had been shut down as the kids got older. Oh, and her father would later on buy the building within months of the events, feeling terrible for its history and hoping to reinvent the orphanage as a “legit academic garden of wonders”. Glimmer wondered if he would have achieved it, since he would only die four months after buying it.

He probably would have, knowing him.

Aunt Castapella had called the building cursed and haunted. Aunt Castapella also kind of danced around the truth to censor herself, but she figured there was some truth in her aunt’s words. It was one of the last properties her father had gotten- a place with so much sadness and death and grief.

Glimmer hadn’t done much research.

She didn’t want to.

Kicking a broken piece of glass, the short girl hummed quietly as Bow paced around, occasionally poking at the remains of the orphanage. They both came to the conclusion that the Horde must have been a marvel at its time, but had aged horribly throughout the decades.

The Horde was impressive at first glance- a tall, five floor building built of maroon bricks. The windows were covered in growing ivy, although most were shattered. A single sign on the front of the gated orphanage read, “The Horde. Home of the children.” The C had fallen and the other letters were also on the verge of falling. It was a shock the sign was even up.

Graffiti was spray painted across some walls, the inside left empty from years of robbers and teenagers both hoping to find something worthy inside. Glimmer cringed internally as she ventured throughout the first floor, white walls peeling off color and revealing wood.

“I read in the files that your mom tried to sell this place, but it was plagued by too many ghost stories.” Bow started.

The second and a half thing to know about Glimmer fell in her beliefs. Glimmer did not, much to her best friend’s dismay, believe in ghosts. Sure, she loved a good haunt. Who didn’t? But her pride bit her tongue and she refused to believe any ideas of a life after death.

And if ghosts did exist, why couldn’t her mom just come in, give her some much needed financial advice and then move on to whatever came next? Okay, that was selfish.

She read something about the hauntings in her mother’s business journals. The journals described how Angella ran her business and all that good stuff, and the entry on the Horde had been signed as a waste of resources thanks to its infamousness. There were too many “spooky stories” as Angella had noted and too many “local legends” in the Fright Zone to come up with something profitable. Stories of locals hearing children running up and down the stairs, laughter and screams emerging from the halls and even sightings of a girl with a blood soaked gown wandering through the third floor and banging on the windows at night. The last one sounded exaggerated to her. Bow believed it 100% somehow.

“I know. I saw that too.”

She wondered why her mom didn’t think of investing the Horde as a haunted attraction. Or a revamped hotel! That would have sold fast, especially for vloggers slash social media influencers!

Glimmer silently jotted that to her list of ideas as Bow drew up the floor plans of the Horde. Laid in front of them, they both examined the structure. The first floor had been a welcoming slash living room and kitchen for the kids. The second was the academic center with a library and a mini gym. The third and fourth were dorms and the fifth was only for the staff.

She figured they hadn’t followed that set-up- it wouldn’t be the first time she saw plans change. In the last couple of years in the Horde, they had become overpopulated with kids. That’s also when the abuse cases emerged into light.

The ex-heiress shuddered, closing her eyes for a faint second as she inhaled. Accounts of what were later dubbed as the _ night boxes _dawned in her mind. She always imagined them the same way- tall, thin, wooden boxes in the nearby forest purposely spread apart with thick, rusty chains. The kids that misbehaved were forced to stay in throughout the night, and some even spent days forgotten in the boxes.

There were other stories, too. Her mind wandered to the dreadful military training the children were accustomed to. She thought of the constant emotional abuse and the amount of inhumane torture that went inside the building. On second thought, she wouldn’t be surprised if someone had actually died in the orphanage.

“You know, I came here thinking we could just come in, see the first flood, slap a price tag and sell this and call it a day.” Glimmer admitted, gesturing to the stairway. “But I wanna see more.”

Sensation-seeking and craving cheap thrills ran through her veins, something age hid well but was never quite got out of her system. Being impulsive for Glimmer often meant running out of hotels in Tokyo and dancing in the rain or that one time Bow and her bought wine with a fake ID. There was something about the abandoned building that called to her. She suspected it was her father, because she would be lying if she said she didn’t want to know what her father saw in a disaster.

She wanted to make sense of what her dad saw- how a man dubbed as the King of real estate found beauty in the remnants of a hurricane. Could he really turn this place into a garden of wonders? Could she ever be as good as he had been?

The duo started up the stairs, the floorboards creaking underneath their every step. Glimmer heaved, the thin jean jacket she had slipped in a rush not doing much to defend her from the gnawing cold. She eyed her friend, wondering how Bow was able to wear a crop-top in this type of weather.

“It has sleeves! It’s meant for warmth!” Bow claimed, his voice cracking like it did when he was fifteen.

The second floor was in better condition than the previous floor. It still reeked, had traces of property damage and the like but was tolerable. There were also large windows, some broken and others sealed shut. Sunlight from the dying sun poured in, and Bow turned off his flashlight. They walked through the red hallways, eyeing occasional signs and making note of price ranges. Bow had tried getting into the library, though the door was locked and they both decided after minutes of trying to move on. 

Instead, they found themselves standing in the middle of the gymnasium. It was grand at some point, bringing in memories of high school that a once socially awkward Glimmer loathed. There were brown bleachers and even basketball hoops and goals still standing, regardless of time. Torn, muddy banners with faint, unreadable words remained on the walls.

“We don’t have to sell it, you know.” Bow began, making long steps throughout the gym. He enjoyed the sound of squeaking. “I’m sure we could invest a decent amount of money and rent it- I mean, living in haunted places is kinda trendy now.”

Glimmer snickered at the idea of advertising a contest, much like the ones where you could gain over 100k by using a flip phone for an entire year. Her and Bow shared smiles, him nodding to the exit.

“Ghosts don’t exist, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.” He mused as they parted ways from the gym. “Let’s see the third floor then.”

“What was the story of the girl on the third floor?” Glimmer decided to entertain her friend. She was _ not _scared, just curious.

The thing about Bow was that although he was terrified of ghosts, he loved ghost stories. She remembered spending hours listening to Bow go on about stories of ghosts and haunted buildings and homes. They spent hours during their teenage years laughing and eating while watching horror movies. They even often went to haunted houses- attractions, of course.

As if on cue, Bow turned to face her, smirking with his hands raised in an attempt to mimic a spirit.

“Well, after the rumors of abuse and even organ trafficking-”

Glimmer raised an eyebrow, completely forgetting that tale. It should stay forgotten.

“There was a massive raid and all the orphans were rescued and saved. Except child protection officials never knew about the boxes in the woods, so they literally left kids there to rot. When staff and the kids were interviewed, they found the existence and tried to release them, but it was too late. They had died of starvation and all that.”

Bow turned back and began walking up the set of stairs, continuing to explain. “One of them was this teenager- I think she was about to turn eighteen and was literally on the verge of leaving in less than a week. They found her body soaked in blood, though no one really knew why.”

“Yeahh, not buying that one. How would she get to the third floor, then?” Glimmer questioned, shoving her hands into her pockets. “And I thought the boxes were for smaller kids, not someone about to turn eighteen.”

“Of course, no one confirmed this. There was probably no one at the boxes- if they exist. People that actually were involved with the orphanage, either kids themselves or officials, refuse to talk about this kind of thing, even when people that live in the Fright Zone claim they knew the girl. They said six kids died in total.” The boy in the orange top began to hum. “Kinda crazy to think something like this could have happened.”

“And people are milking it.” She replied plainly. “Has anyone actually talked to any of the orphans?”

He shrugged. “Claims existed but they were often debunked. My bet is that they were given new identities- a fresh start of sorts. It makes you think, though.”

“About?”

“The timeline.” He explained quietly as they reached the third floor. “We were fifteen, it’s been five years and the oldest kids were seventeen. So today they’d be around twenty-two or twenty-three.”

The thing Glimmer noticed about the orphanage was how many never-ending hallways there were and the amount of paintings on the walls. The third floor was for teenagers, she had guessed. The rooms were divided by gender, and they found themselves walking down the girls’ dorms. Windows lined alongside the paintings depicting magazine covers and scenery. Like the second floor, they were weirdly either sealed or broken.

The pink-haired girl wrinkled her nose, coughing. Dust was everywhere and she hadn’t come prepared to walk throughout the entire property. If she had been, she would have come earlier with more people and in better clothes. That and her mood had begun to shift, something that she was confused by.

“Glimmer! Look!” Bow exclaimed.

He had been prying, pushing, and rattling door knobs the entire time, hoping to find one opened to go into. She wasn’t sure why he was so curious about the dorms themselves. In retrospect, she was starting to grow tired and aggravated and wanted to call it a day. There was something that made her want to stay, a feeling deep within her that cried and wailed and pleaded with her to keep venturing.

She came to a halt in her path, eyes wide at the realization that one of the rooms had actually been open. Bow was beaming, reminding her of a boy that finally got the bike he had asked for the entire year on Christmas morning. Effortlessly, he pushed the door opened and he looked at his best friend, smiling.

“Want to take a look?” And with that, he went into the shadows.

Glimmer groaned internally. She didn’t want to be outside on her own (not because she was scared) so she followed into the room.

It was an awfully small and cramped space. There were bunk beds and a small dresser. There was no closet, and Bow had been pacing around and found a bathroom. The door was somehow also easily opened, and he had taken it upon himself to go inside without her.

There was a strange feeling kicking in- one of fear. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the _ ghosts _ or because there had been an overwhelming amount of stress she was trying to ignore. Her mother had just died, their family business was gone at this point and all the properties her father had acquired during his life were about to perish too. She had always wanted to be _ the _ boss, too. But she had a plan, a plan built after her father’s death consisting of a mom that aged gracefully and her with a career in law under her belt and years of experience.

Instead, she was a broke-college student who had yet to graduate in a godawful building with a godawful history that only got worse with every floor. And yet! There was something here, something telling her to stay and look. It was like she was in a car without a driver speeding through a freeway. She was frozen, panicking and unable to shut her eyes and look away.

Yeah, no. She wanted to leave and just sell the Horde. What else would she need it for? She needed the money!

She was lying on the bunk bed now, pushing the thought that there was probably blood or cat piss or mice on the mattress away. She sighed, exasperated. Her hands pressed to her face for a second.

“Bow!” She slid her eyes open lazily. “We should go, I have a paper to turn in. Oh and we have to see the girl renting the apartment- I think her name started with an A-”

Glimmer was about to slide off the bed when her blood ran cold, lilac eyes widening and her lips parting open in horror. On the top bunk, a face looked down at her with interest. A blue eye and a golden one were narrowed, a grin of mischief dancing in the darkness.

There was a faint hiss and Glimmer had no idea how she mustered the courage to scoff. Pride bit back her initial fear and she made a face of disgust at the figure.

“Oh, and you’ve been living here without paying rent? How is that any fair-”

✰

In the years she had ventured throughout the afterlife, Catra couldn’t help but ache for a change in career choice. Okay, fine. She hadn’t chosen to be a lingering spirit haunting some damn orphanage like a boring cliché, but she never learned where she could request an application to be something else. She didn’t know what, but something like a guardian angel worked fine!

She toyed with that idea for a while until she realized she would probably end up doing more bad than good in someone’s life. So then Catra came up with the illusion of becoming a celebrity, or a ghost celeb, or something of that sort! She wanted to become the talk of the town. Then the realization that she couldn’t leave the damn building hit like a thousand bricks at once and that dream shattered.

Catra then thought of becoming a spirit that helped others move on. The problem was that she couldn’t leave this place and that nobody else was around.

Over the years, she settled on becoming an urban legend. Well, she became one by accident the night she got so frustrated and started banging on the windows and somehow someone saw and took a video. It was never intentional- that she swore! It just happened by accident and suddenly teenagers came in groups huddled together looking for a quick spook.

At first, the ghost would hide on the fifth floor, because no one dared walk up the stairs. Catra wasn’t shy, but she enjoyed her peace and just didn’t want to be bothered. She had dealt with so much bullshit in her life she didn’t need to be someone’s entertainment in her death.

Oh, and there was that tidbit of her life: she could not, in the years she was dead, remember a thing about her past life. She woke up one day in an undisclosed location and realized she was a ghost when she ran through a wall without troubles.

Overtime, she had gained details on what had happened from horny couples looking for privacy (the disgust!) and tourists during halloween. She came to the conclusion that most people came to: she had been an orphan in the Horde and had died before she could be _ saved._

It was bittersweet, but Catra swallowed the pill and chose to move on. What good did thinking do? She was just here, existing and forgotten in a void for eternity.

Sometimes she liked to scare people. Who could blame her, she was bored! It differed- some days she would take the form of children and giggle and run through the halls. Other times she’d become invisible and break windows or mirrors. She even touched people, gently squeezing someone’s shoulder or hand.

It was a good laugh. Seeing someone’s face turn a deadly shade of white and hearing screams always brightened her day.

When no one was around, because those periods of solitude did exist, Catra roamed the library. She had done plenty of exploring. There was always something to do at the library- with plenty of leftover books and movies and art supplies. In her spare time, she worked on word search puzzles in the gymnasium or read books in the dorms. Catra had also become a bit of an artist, preferring to sketch what little she could see from the inside.

Today was actually a day in one of those time periods.

Catra woke up that day in one of the rooms on the third floor with a start, which was odd because Catra didn’t dream. It should be noted that Catra was dead and therefore did not need sleep. However, she reasoned she had an eternity to do whatever, so sleeping wouldn’t harm anyone.

She stretched and brushed her black and gray curls, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She ventured through the halls and visited the library, like she usually did first thing in the morning.

The spirit trudged through the nonfiction section of the books and began to pull some titles out. This had also become a habit, she had all the time to read and the library was huge and full and so she did. Afterwards, she liked to go to the gym and chill on the bleachers, reading and drawing and doing whatever for most of the day.

There was an office inside the gym. She had collected what seemed to be yearbooks and photographs of the orphanage. Catra studied them when she first discovered she was dead, writing down notes and theories in a leather notebook. As time went by the little office has turned into her own space. Paintings and drawing ornamented thin walls, alongside photographs of people.

Putting down the pile of books, Catra glanced uneasily at one of the photos. It was a picture of a group of teens, including her, she assumed. That photo always made her feel awful, although she never could tell if it was due to her inability to remember her past life or because of the unknown blonde with a huge smile and an arm around her.

The haunt rested her chin on her palm, lazily flipping the page of the book. She hummed to herself, stuck in a trance until she became distracted by the sound of footsteps and voices.

“Oh, great.” She groaned. “Vacation’s over.”

She slammed her book shut and stood up, following the sound of footsteps.

“We don’t have to sell it, you know.” A male voice rang through the gymnasium. It was followed by something else, but Catra had scrunched up her face and thought about what the hell these people were selling.

“Ghosts don’t exist, remember?”

There was a short girl in the middle of the gym. She wore a small smile, lilac eyes observing the space around her. The girl wore a denim jacket with a black top and leggings. Catra noticed the huge black bags underneath her eyes and the way she walked, almost as if on the brink of collapsing. The poor girl was exhausted.

There was a taller boy in a...crop top? Yeah, a boy probably around the other girl’s age. The boy wore an orange crop-top and paint splattered jeans. Catra wondered if it was a fashion statement or if he was a painter.

“Let’s see the third floor.”

Part of Catra wanted to go back to her office and lay on the floor and read. Why would she bother with a nonbeliever? Those were always the worst.

Catra grimaced, recalling the time a boy taunted her to come out and face him. She made sure to give him nightmares for the rest of his life.

Another part of Catra was curious as to what the boy meant by selling. They were newcomers and somehow the girl seemed familiar all at once. Sighing, Catra headed behind them, careful not to be seen.

“What was the story of the girl on the third floor?”

_ “I have one breakdown and no one can let that go.” _ Catra mentally facepalmed as she followed the duo. _ “I wonder what version they have.” _

“Well, after the rumors of abuse and even organ trafficking-”

The rumors of what now?

“There was a massive raid and all the orphans were rescued and saved-” 

Catra zoned out. These strangers said just what the locals clamored (except the organ part- that she had never heard before). There was nothing new to listen to, so Catra decided to give the strangers nicknames while they finished chatting.

The girl was Twinkle Toes or Sparkles because of the sequins on her jean jacket. The boy was dubbed Cupid because he had a heart-shaped pendant and she was too lazy and unmotivated to come up with something else.

“Glimmer, look!”

Huh! Sparkles was close to her name!

One of the rooms was opened and the boy had slipped inside. She noticed the hesitation on Glimmer’s end and frowned.

Maybe she should do her thing and scare them.

Just for laughs.

That and she was bored.

The two were walking around, peeking at the bed and empty drawer. Cupid had found the bathroom and was inside (probably playing one of those stupid mirror chanting games, gosh Catra loathed those “vloggers”) while Sparkles had jumped on the bottom bunk bed.

Sparkles reeked of stress. It was radiating from her in such strong waves even Catra felt her head start to pulse. The ghost had made herself visible and was watching from the top bunk as Sparkles rubbed her eyes and sighed and groaned.

Catra waited like a predator about to pounce on her meal. She had done this millions of times and it never got old.

Finally after what seemed forever, Sparkles spoke out.

“Bow!” Her eyes opened slowly.

Catra smirked. Well, a cupid has a bow so she was close!

“We should go, I have a paper to turn in. Oh and we have to go see the girl renting the apartment- I think her name started with an A-”

Lilac met blue and yellow. A look of sheer terror met one of mischief. The ghost hissed as she watched the blood run from Sparkles’ face. Catra swore her stuff had worked, except when she heard Sparkles scoff and crossed her arms over her chest. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at the ghoul.

“Oh, and you’ve been living here without paying rent? How is that any fair-”

Catra blinked, unable to hide the confusion from registering on her face. Glimmer had just seen a ghost when she believes they didn’t exist and her only concern was why Catra didn’t pay her rent?

Huh, maybe this one would take a bit longer to scare than the others.


	2. I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glimmer and Catra make a deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so, so sorry. I promise an update to Hey Adora will be up by either Friday or Saturday! Hope you are all safe!

02 - I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

In retrospect, Bow wasn’t quite sure what he was doing when it came to the glorious start to his roaring twenties.

Granted, he had a legacy of historians to ever so carefully follow, but life had always seen a little more than just history. He was raised to cherish the past, to seek comfort in all that happened decades and centuries ago and to look at the future with a keen set of eyes. Yet in college- although taking a minor in history out of fear that he was displeasing his parents- he savored the fresh taste of freedom and explored his options. He could do and learn and try so many new things!

That was why Bow chose to focus on the positives during his outings with Glimmer, disregarding the grim circumstances. The only family Glimmer had left was Aunt Castapella (who he adored very much!). She was busy making sure everything was running overseas and trying to provide to the best of her abilities a decent living for Glimmer. His task as the best friend was to understand her frustrations and stresses and fears and reassure her that everything would be fine.

Everything is easier said than done.

Glimmer had changed drastically in the month following Angella’s death. The girl’s cheeks were more hollow and carved and her tan skin was now a deadly shade of pale. Bags carried bags underneath her eyes, the famous glimmer in her eyes nowhere to be found. Her pink curls, known to always be fixed to perfection, were an unwashed mess. There was also something about the way she carried herself, the way she slouched as if life was being sucked out of her with every step she took.

It took a lot to sculpt Glimmer into looking remotely like something that was alive. To be precise, it took an hour in his bedroom with brushes and powders and creams scattered across his green comforters.

The ex-heiress possessed the habit of sitting in his bed cross legged, her empty gaze lingering on the vanity in front of them. He carefully spent his time spreading makeup across each and every corner of her face with a beauty sponge, hoping to conceal the darkness beneath her eyes and the cracking of her skin. He wanted to bring some life into her, even if it was fleeting.

It worked.

Well, enough for the business meetings the month of October dragged by. Oh, and the occasional visits to local properties, including the infamous haunted Horde orphanage.

Bow liked a good spook. Who didn’t? It was October, the month of all things scary! He was always an avid believer in ghosts, something he knew Glimmer enjoyed rebutting every time she got the chance.

Contrary to his persistent beliefs however, Bow had never seen a ghost before. In his mind, the closest sighting of a ghost was the Glimmer he had grown accustomed to- the girl that sat in his room listening to soft indie music while playing dressup and who chose to sleep to avoid her feelings. When Angella died, so did Glimmer.

He was wrong though, but in some ways, he was right. The ghost in front of him looked more alive than the girl with a heartbeat standing next to him.

That statement alone said enough.

“So you see a ghost on top of you and instead of running scared, you want to ask why they don’t pay rent?” Bow mustered the courage to inquire after minutes of hair-rising terror. No, Bow was actually scared of the sight he was met with once he stepped out of the restroom.

His best friend, who stood exactly at five feet and not one inch over, towered over the ghost with a look of anger and rage on her face. The sight was almost comical to Bow, but he knew better than to laugh.

The poor ghost looked beyond confused, their plan probably failing.

“Bow!” Glimmer exclaimed, an accusing finger still pointed at the ghoul. “Do you not know the state of the economy right now? I can’t just let her live for free-”

“She’s dead-”

“Wow, thanks for being so insensitive.” The haunt groaned, lowering her eyes to the floor and pouting visibly. She awkwardly stood by the side, an arm grabbing onto the other and tilting her head away as if unsure how to proceed. It wasn’t everyday that someone you were supposed to scare came knocking down your door asking for your monthly rent.

“I’m sorry!” Chocolate eyes flung towards the being, sincerity washing over the young male’s features. “I didn’t mean it like that! But you’re like, a ghost, right?”

The girl shrugged, wild and messy curls bouncing off her shoulders. Freckles danced and wavered on her tan face, chapped lips forming an ‘oh’. The apparition was tall, her figure slim and even seemed malnourished. But what stood out to Bow was her eyes- one a gold-yellow shade and another blue.

“Yeah, but sorry boss. Didn’t know ghosts had to pay rent, too.” She glared at Glimmer, who scoffed and crossed her arms in response.

“Okay, but I’m goin-”

It was at this moment that Bow chose to dodge a bullet and intercept with a question of his own. He lightly elbowed his best friend, eyebrow raised and hand stretched out. “Rocky starts but my name’s Bow. My friend’s Glimmer, she kinda owns the building. Anywhooo, are you the ghost girl?” He laughed nervously. “You know, the whole ghost on the third floor story?”

The ghost frowned, her eyes narrowing even more. “The name’s Catra. Sheesh, ghost on the third floor? That’s so tacky!” She smacked her forehead, ignoring Bow’s outstretched hand. “I gave the locals so much material to work with and they do me like this!”

Glimmer chuckled until she realized this was probably not the best time to laugh so she launched into a coughing fit.

“Sorry, dust.”

Catra did not look impressed.

“Anyway,” The stranger began. “You can leave now. Like, seriously. I’m going to go read and sleep in a bit, so can you just- yeah just hurry along.”

Glimmer’s lilac eyes widened, shocked at the coldness Catra was giving them. Bow knew that look too well- it wasn’t pure shock. It was her infamous, “Oh you actually said that? Well, I’m going to pretend you did not and wait for you to follow up. I give you six seconds before I explode” look.

“Excuse me?” A shrill voice snapped, making Bow cringe. Catra seemed unfazed, her lips turned into an unopposed smirk. “This is my orphanage, my building, my pro-”

“Listen, kid.”

The world around them spun- literally. A nauseating feeling kicked into Bow’s system, the oxygen in his lungs kissing him goodbye as they parted ways. He clawed as his throat, eyes watering in desperation as he reached for Glimmer. He was lifted from red carpet floors, her figure in the air next to him rising much hire. Mystical green aura surrounded the duo, the bunk beds rattling and clattering behind them. Shadows filled the space, reflecting on pasty walls.

Catra was poised with her feet touching the floor, arms up ever so slightly with yellow balls of energy emitting from the tips of her long claws. The bundle of curls trailed behind her, shades of turquoise and mint competing around the ghoul. Both eyes were now a bright shade of yellow, a more sinister look overtaking her face. She cocked her head to the left, laughter ringing and echoing across the room.

There was not one moment where Glimmer, the girl that worked so hard to keep the facade of bravery and courage, seemed scared. But Bow, if he lived to tell this day, swore this day would go down as just that.

The day Glimmer met fear and showed it.

“This is my home, my orphanage, and my life. You will not march up here and take that from me. Understood?”

He thought she would nod. He imagined her bowing her head in defeat and saving their life. He should have seen this one coming.

The pink-haired girl shook her head almost immediately, gloved hands now scratching at the invisible force that was choking her.

Catra glowered. With a snap of her fingers, the world had stopped spinning. The bunk beds gave their last rattle and the wind stopped howling ferociously. The shadows disappeared, all the green and blue and yellow running back to the ghoul’s palms.

Bow fell to his knees, gasping for air. Glimmer stood almost immediately, nasty red marks starting to fade from her neck.

He cursed her stubbornness as she coughed.

“Look,” Glimmer started, not afraid to make eye contact with the enraged spirit. “You can kill me with your cheap parlor tricks but you will not take this away from me. Understood? I have worked too hard, ran on two hours of sleep everyday, struggled with college and all stupid businesses my parents had to let you put your foot down and draw the line. You are not taking my business opportunity to pay off loans that might just let me get four hours of sleep. I am Glimmer and this is my property, and I am not asking your opinion on it.”

Bow took a deep breath, closing his eyes and waiting for his death at the hands of someone he had just met.

His end came in the form of cackling, loud hollering that made him open his eyes in bewilderment.

Catra was pacing around the room, her ragged and torn dirty maroon suit coming more into view. The haunt shook her head, muttering to herself while running a hand through her mane. She looked amused, entertained and even...joyous? After minutes of this (and Bow reaching for Glimmer but being too overwhelmed by the nearly being choked to death experience to scold her), Catra turned back to Glimmer and sneered.

“I can make your sale go to hell, you know that?”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” She grinned. “Trust me, I’m pretty good at what I do.”

The phantom flashed a cocky grin, massaging her temples and purring gently.

“I’ll do you one even better. I let you sell this state of the art building completely free of charge and with zero accidental deaths-”

“One accidental death is okay under our insurance policy.” Glimmer countered.

“Glimmer!” Bow snapped.

Catra ignored the two and continued.

“You can sell this stupid building and get your stupid check under one condition- you help me move on to the afterlife.” She stretched out her hand. “Deal?”

“Why do you want to move on? You could stay without paying rent as long as you let this process go smoothly. We don’t have to deal with each other again. In fact, you’d never have to interact with me again.”

“Are you kidding me?” Catra huffed in annoyance. “I do not want to haunt a disco ball for the rest of eternity. Knowing you, this place will wind up coated in layers of glitter and rainbows and all things nice.”

Glimmer thought for a moment, then two, then three. Then the realization that she needed money and that if Catra was being nice (if this was being nice) then maybe she should just take the deal. And Bow was giving her the, “And what are you waiting for?” gaze.

She grabbed the ghost’s hand and plastered a fake smile.

“Deal.”

* * *

The one thing that stood out about Adora was her punctuality. Ignore her GPA, her extracurriculars, and all the nice, shiny awards under her belt- Adora was worth more than gold when it came to punctuality.

So it wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to arrive at the infamous Dolce Vita complex ten minutes early.

Adora heaved, sweat trickling down the back of the twenty-two year old. Propping the red sunglasses up for comfort, she squinted her eyes at the ivory green sign. A model in all yellow with the widest of smilest and the curliest of hair beckoned her forward. The words, “Come live la Dolce Vita!” in maroon stood out of the navy blue background.

Well, here was to a new stage in life.

Walking up a set of stairs, the blonde followed the yellow arrows to find her destination. The room was on the second floor, though Adora paid no mind using the stairs. She hummed along to the song blasting through her white wired headphones. Finally, she arrived at room B32.

Adora checked her watch, noting that she definitely arrived earlier than expected. Feeling a little proud that her streak was still alive, the young woman knocked on the door.

There was no response. Adora frowned, but waited a little more before knocking again. She reached for her phone, pausing her music and looking through her messages. There was no way she came on the wrong date- she had written and marked this day in red sharpie on her calendar! So then maybe it was on her potential roommates’ side, which made Adora squirm. She hated roommates who were heavily disorganized, even if she had lived with one almost all her life.

She pushed that thought away and sighed.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” She heard shuffling and then the door flung open.

In front of her stood a girl with neat cotton candy hair, almost borderline purple. She was shorter and tanner than Adora’s pale and lanky self. The girl wore a lilac hoodie, had dark jeans and a bandage on her left cheek. She smiled, waving for Adora to come in.

“I’m sorry for making you wait, I was actually looking for some of the apartment’s contracts.” She explained, shutting the door behind the blonde. “I’m Glimmer, it’s nice to finally put a face to your name, Adora!”

The two had been texting for almost three weeks now. After completing her undergrad, Adora found herself trapped between going on to grad school or just taking a gap year to find herself. She was lucky to have had a full ride that left her with no student debt, but she was also unlucky when it came to finding out what it truly was that she ached to pursue. No career made her heart flutter, and then college passed in the blink of an eye before she could make up her mind. Now Adora was stuck with a degree she wasn’t quite sure what to make of.

Browsing for inspiration, she happened to find a flyer advertising a local apartment up for rent. There were two roommates who were looking for a third- all the qualifications and requirements seemed to be in Adora’s realm of possibility.

So she said, “Screw it,” and texted the number. Glimmer answered almost immediately, insisting on getting to know Adora. They talked on the phone for a bit. Afterwards, she communicated with the second roommate, Bow, who handled all the moving in business. She hadn’t talked to Glimmer until this point.

“Sit here. I’ll get Bow to come and say hi.” Glimmer nodded towards the couch and gestured to the hallway. “Be back in a bit!”

There was an aroma of fresh-baked cookies in the air. Adora inhaled the sweet scent, blue eyes wandering towards the kitchen. The living room and kitchen were combined, a bar with three stools separating both areas. The young woman looked back at the glass table in front of her. A stack of books laid on top, the title, “Us and Them: Defining a Line Between You and Your Ghost Entity,” jumping to her attention.

“Huh?” She squinted her eyes, resisting the urge to pick up the book and read its contents. “Well, I’m going to ignore that for now.”

Everyone had their hobbies. Who was Adora to judge? Then again, maybe her roommates were running a secret underground ghostbusters club.

“We’re here!” Glimmer announced.

She walked into the living room with a tall, young man behind her. With dark curls and a huge smile, he wore a blue crop top and ripped jeans. He wasted no time in pulling Adora into a warm hug, causing her to yelp.

“Oh, Adora! It’s so good to finally meet you! I hope you decide to move in with us, we really have no use for the extra room!”

Glimmer nodded, reaching for Adora’s hand to help her up.

“C’mon, let’s start the tour. Bow baked welcome cookies!”

* * *

The history of the La Dolce Vita complex (before the La was dropped from the name) ran deep through Glimmer’s veins. It was a humble lesson, a grand reawakening, and the oddest of sweet sixteen gifts anyone could receive.

Glimmer recalled her mother teasing her for days about her gift.

“It’s going to be something quite remarkable,” her angelic figure stated, never once looking from the papers on her desk. “I believe you are old enough to receive this gift, Glimmer.”

Everytime she looked into the memories of those days, Glimmer swore she could capture the faintest trace of a smile on her mother’s face. Of course she would smile. Her mother dearest was well aware of the gift to come.

And it was a remarkable gift, to say the least.

On her sixteenth birthday, Glimmer arrived at a beaten-up, nearly demolished and torn building in the heart of Brightmoon. She remembered the confusion settling in the pits of her stomach, the discomfort suffocating her and the smirk her mother carried that day.

“Happy birthday, Glimmer. Do as you please with this building. It’s yours, after all.”

And so, at the age of sixteen, Glimmer rebuilt her own apartment. At the age of seventeen, it was ready and in use. She was seventeen and a month old when she received the first check from her investment in her bank account.

At the ripe age of twenty, Glimmer was looking to share an apartment with a stranger thanks to the fact that she could no longer afford rent. Well, wasn’t life cruel?

Bow chose to look at the bright side.

“Another friend!” He clamored. “And also, she’s at the drinking age! She can buy us beer!”

She knew he was trying to be optimistic for her sake. Yet it still felt wrong and dirty. She never voiced her concerns to Bow, because he was trying. He was trying for the both of them.

Glimmer liked Adora.

She was a bright, intelligent young woman with a life ahead of her. She was an incredible athlete in the field of boxing. She graduated college but was looking for internships. Her academic record was also quite spectacular. She had a good record of jobs and a stellar recommendation from some of Glimmer’s own connections- something that boosted her chances of being approved. But what really hit the mark was that Adora was (and she found this thanks to lots of deep googling) an ex-orphan of the Horde.

In the world of business, it was common for business partners to use each other to elevate their careers. Now, while Glimmer winced at how she worded that, she learned the art of an eye for an eye from her mother years ago. She had watched firsthand how people used information to prosper their businesses, how any movement could be used against you and how a favor led to another favor. The world of business balanced itself on the shoulders of hypocrisy.

Glimmer didn’t want to use Adora. She tried to leave the fact that she was one of the orphans from her conversation with Bow, yet it lingered in her mind. She could easily get close to Adora, figure out who Catra was and then find how to let Catra be free. Then she could make the orphanage into a haunted experience or something and pay off the rest of her mother’s loans.

But it was just that Adora was so bright-eyed and nervous. She was socially awkward, the years of being in isolation towing away any social experience she had. It seemed as if the world around her was new, though, and keen eyes were ready to take in the world.

Glimmer didn’t mean to google Adora’s name. It just happened. You had to perform a deep background check on who your roommate was, she reasoned. In Glimmer’s mind, she just wanted to see if her roommate was a party girl. She didn’t need that in their apartment (especially with the high repairment fees!)

When she typed Adora’s full name into the search engine, a new world appeared.

Ex-Horde Orphan Speaks Out!

I am the Horde: Ex-Orphan Leads National Debate to Change Adoption Regulations

Surviving the Horde: Survivor Confirms Book is in the Works

The Adora she met was the same Adora that so passionately spoke about her experience in the Horde. While never sharing personal details, she always stood her ground and led a nationwide protest to change regulations for orphanages. She was invited by child protection organizations to speak about her life in the Horde and also to try and persuade the government to finally do something. It seemed as if Adora did have minor wins, but her main goal was never reached.

Adora spent four years after the Horde’s closure speaking on the horrors she lived through. Then suddenly, her book deal was cancelled. She began to decline interviews, and she even lashed out on social media begging media outlets and conspiracy theorists to leave her alone. She washed the Horde’s blood off her hands and was ready to leave.

The Legend of She-Ra: Where is the Infamous Horde Survivor Now?

Penning under the alias of She-Ra years before the Horde’s dismantling, Adora summoned the bravery to admit to the world who she was. The blog posts were still up, Glimmer found later. She spent all night reading them, taking in all the details of the horrors the children were forced to endure. She remembered Catra’s face and almost lost it, tears streaming down her face.

“So, I’m not huge into smoking. And I don’t really do parties, honestly. I think we’ll be a good fit!” Adora exclaimed, snapped the younger girl from her thoughts.

Shifting her head to look at Adora, she nodded.

“Most definitely. You can move in whenever you want, even if you planned to next week.” Glimmer offered a warm smile. “We can sit down and discuss any matters now that you have the tour.”

Adora looked around wistfully, trying to look through her list of pros and cons. Looking back at Glimmer and Bow, she smiled faintly.

“Actually, I think I’m about ready to move in tonight.”

* * *

Catra was bored.

A golden eye remained shut, blue one lazy slid open as she rested on a bed. It felt like a block of cement, regardless of the amount of blankets Catra stuffed underneath. Yet the ghoul was tired and bored and napping was a godsend.

She was suffering from a strong case of art block. There were a thousand books unread, but she couldn’t muster the energy to read them. She found puzzles in the toddler’s room, but she was too tired to solve them. She could do so many things, but she was stuck in bed.

Sighing softly, Catra shifted. She reached for a blanket and wrapped herself in it, squeezing her eyes shut. She inhaled the aroma of dust and sweat. Gosh, she wondered if that’s how being alive smelt.

It was awful. Days like these where she was in a funk- they were awful. Time lingered on and she was still here, trapped within the walls of this rotten building.

“I wanna move on now.” She cried. “To the other side, please.”

No answer. Of course, there was never an answer. Was there even another side? This just felt like cruel and unusual punishment.

Her thoughts wandered to the two humans she met days ago. She thought of Glimmer briefly before smacking her forehead. As if that disco puff could find a way- Catra had tried so many times and failed! But she knew Glimmer was determined to sell this dump without her in it. Besides, if Glimmer could, somehow, let her move on, then what was there to lose?

“Okay, Catra.” Her voice rang loud and clear. “I’ll come back next week and update you. I promise you this- I will get you out and I will sell this building. Understood?”

Where would she even go?

Catra read about heaven and hell several times. Heaven, she learned, was a place of wonders. It was a jaw-dropping, gorgeous home where all the good and kind people spent all of eternity dancing in sunshine and playing with the angels. You drowned in eternal youth, surrounded by those humble enough to walk into pearly, white gates. Hell was the opposite. It was a scary and dark place, where temperatures rose and every soul screamed in agony. Then there was the limbo, where Catra knew she was stuck in. She was the dead amongst the living, the soul trapped on Earth.

But for what reason?

She read front to back on the few books of the paranormal she had access to. Fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction- they all claimed ghosts that remained in the limbo had a price to pay. Others said these ghosts had business unfinished, something that prevented them from moving on to the next stage of life.

But what?

The memories in Catra’s head were long gone. She awoke with a start, a sense of bewilderment stuck in her throat and adrenaline coursing through her veins. All she remembered was waking up- there was nothing else Catra could remember.

It had been five years since that fateful day and there was no change. The only memories she had were the ones she built throughout the years. Even then, the ghost still had trouble even remembering the most basic of things.

Groaning, the young adult sat up in bed. Brief glimpses of sunlight poured through the holes of the cracked windows. She welcomed the sunlight, her eyes focusing on the way they barely lit the room. The room around her was like any room here- dark, moist, and ugly. There was nothing but a poor excuse of a bed and a closet stripped from its belongings. The only thing that stood out to Catra was the carpet- the red footprints trailing across the floor.

Catra was bored.

She got up and paced through the room, eventually deciding to part her ways and look for a new adventure. She had options. She just wasn’t sure if she had the stomach for it right now.

Walking down the corridors of nightmares was part of her daily routine she hoped to shake off. The portraits on the walls scared her. It took a lot for a ghost to be scared! Therefore, she always tried to avoid them. She obviously never could, but it was the intent that mattered.

She trotted down the stairs, ignoring the sounds of creaking stairs. She breathed in, blinking to adapt to the changes of light. More stairs arrived before she could make it to the library.

The library stood still, untouched by time. It was one of the only places time had not destroyed or worn out. Catra was well aware of its glory days, forever inscribed into portaigs that ornamented the wall. Yet the library was comforting and Catra took it in without a second thought.

The crisp smell of used books filled the air. She walked into a maze of shelves, her path long found. There, in the comforts of the library, she had lived the first week. Book after book, page after page- the words flew past her head as she tried to piece together what had happened. Slowly, she gained confidence to try her powers.

Slowly, she learned to accept the fact that she was a ghost. There was no one in the limbo with her and so, life as Catra began.

Today, though, she prayed. She prayed Glimmer would find a way, find the key and save her.

She wasn’t sure she could do this any longer. But what choice did she have? Her life was forever gone- there was nothing to be done.

Catra inhaled, fiddling with the tip of a curl. She closed her eyes and gave in, opening the little sketchbook of thoughts.

The photo of a blonde girl next to her troubled her more than soothed. The polaroid was old, almost draining of color and to the point of losing its contents.

She slid the photo to the back of the book and began drawing.

* * *

It’d be a lie to say moving in on the same day as she met Glimmer and Bow was not a spur of the moment idea. She had been struggling with finding her footing after college (and also didn’t really want to run back to her foster family after years of disconnecting). Money had been steadily dwindling down, enough to the point where she needed to act and now.

“Okay, Glimmer’s bringing one more box!” Bow shouted as he came into the room, a sloppy grin on. He set the box labeled books and extras next to her bed. “

“You didn’t have to carry, guys.” Sheepishly, Adora tossed a piece of bedding aside and gestured for Bow to come closer. “I forgot to ask about dinner, uh, would y’all mind if I bought takeout for all of us? It’s honestly the least I can do!”

“We like chinese.” Glimmer informed, stepping in with the last of Adora’s belongings. “We don’t mind carrying. Also, I can’t cook.”

“Yeah, she tried microwaving an egg once.” Bow added. “I like to cook. We can take turns doing it, unless you’re also microwaving eggs.”

The shortest of the three gasped in fake shock, elbowing her friend. “Do not expose me like that!”

Bow laughed, shooting Adora another smile.

She smiled back, nodding.

“I’ll order us Chinese then.”

Glimmer and Bow volunteered to help Adora fix her room, though they both realized later on that Adora wasn’t the type to decorate. They had expected her to bring something extra, yet she had brought sheets for her bed and a few boxes with some of her things. There was an extra desk (Glimmer desperately thought of selling it but it would be Adora’s now) where Adora had carefully stacked a couple of books and journals. She had brought a scratched up nightstand and was currently stuffing it with extra items.

Besides that, Adora had no pictures or posters or paintings she wanted to hang up. The room would remain bland and Adora didn’t quite seem to mind.

In reality, Adora just didn’t have enough to portray on walls. She could hang certificates and diplomas- but then she’d seem arrogant. She could risk the chance of looking too open if she hung photos of her and her family. Adora would be a hypocrite, considering she hadn’t seen Razz or Mara since high school. And her, back when she was all her family consisted of. She could seem too uptight if she hung monochrome paintings, and then she wasn’t sure if decorating was even something she wanted to do. After all, was this her permanent destination? No, Adora was searching.

Decorating equaled settling and Adora was not settling.

Not yet.

“Okay, I think this is enough for now.”

“We can stop by the dollar store.” Glimmer pondered, observing every detail of the room. “Get you some more decor, if you’d like.”

Adora shook her head, wiping the sweat from her palms on her jacket. “This will do. For now, anyway.”

Not settling.

The three walked to the kitchen, conversations erupting about how on earth Glimmer managed to boil eggs. The girl was a little awkward, maybe even a little too distant from Adora. She didn’t pay attention to it much, because Bow was the complete opposite.

Adora understood Glimmer. She was like her in the sense of being careful as to who she let in, and Adora was okay to it.

Bow’s extreme friendliness was a nice change of pace.

Back in college, Adora made some friends. High school, too. She texted them now, asking how they were and where life had taken them. There was always a strange fluttering in her stomach when she received the answer. Their friendships stayed, but they were miles away now.

Life was so weird and tacky.

It felt like a week ago when she graduated high school. She remembered slurping down a ninety-nine cent shake with the wind running through her hair as eighties music blasted in her red convertible, drowning the suitcase going thump at every bump in the road. She suffocated the sensation of adrenaline coursing through her veins and pumping her heart.

She ignored the buzzing of her cell phone, the calls of Mara and Razz who somehow figured how to use a phone. She ignored it all, her fallen friend’s name threatening to leave the tip of her tongue.

Adora was running for what seemed to be the third time in her life and she was loving it.

Now, she was housing with a duo of best friends and hoping to find something to hold to.

The aroma of Chinese food lingered in the air as Adora took her first bite. She listened to Glimmer talk about adapting to a cheaper meal plan, where she admitted to Adora that her financials hadn’t been so great as of late. The blonde nodded, having already heard how terrible the economic status was of the royal family of Brightmoon.

It wasn’t a secret Glimmer was (or had been- Adora only got confirmation that she was struggling just a bit) one of the wealthiest people in Brightmoon. There was a reason she was dubbed the princess of Brightmoon. Her family had owned almost all of it, managing businesses and having a colorful portfolio of buildings to choose from. They were, after all, the elite of the elite.

It was also not a secret that Glimmer was losing money. And fast.

Adora was not the type to gossip. She had just heard certain things, and she knew taking in this apartment was also a risk. Even then, she pushed that aside and tried enjoying her noodles.

The topic changed and Bow was talking about college.

Adora laughed, saying, “Oh, I wish I was back in college.”

“You do?”

“Well, yeah.” She picked at her food, ignoring the burning of Glimmer’s gaze. “I mean, it sucked but I also miss the atmosphere. Now I’m an adult and graduate school seems logical but who knows. I just thought, you know, being young was a forever thing.”

“Yeah, I thought that too.” Glimmer chucked. “But then you wake up and realize everything’s different now.”

Adora looked at her, examining the creases of her makeup and the dark bags underneath her eyes. There was a look of uncertainty, a mixture of tiredness and despair. Glimmer reeked of despair and Adora knew that feeling too well.

Mustering a nod, Adora responded.

“Yeah, it sucks.”


	3. Atlas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small chapter is small. To be edited because this is kinda hot off the press?

Do ghosts dream?

The traitorous part of Catra’s mind wondered if, somehow by the heavens’ will, ghosts could dream. There was a key difference in reminiscing and dreaming- even if Catra could  _ recall  _ the memories she built in the span of five years, she could never remember a single dream. Because of that, part of her ached to know if she could dream.

It was a dumb question. Surely, the ghost had other things to worry about. And she did. Catra pondered on what the next tiresome five years would bring, if there was any humanity left within her and if there was any way to move on. Ghosts and their theoretical ability to dream was at the bottom of her list-of-things-to-worry-about, but it was still present in her mind.

Besides, it wasn’t like she could just  _ ask  _ another ghost. There was no other soul trapped in the walls of the Horde’s orphanage, much to her disappointment. 

A companion  _ would  _ have been nice, Catra realized one day. It would have been nice to be stuck with someone else, at least to have someone to torment on a regular basis. Catra didn’t need a best friend, she needed someone else who could relate to her. Someone who could understand her thirst for the afterlife.

“Aha! A get out of jail card!” Sparkles’ voice rang in Catra’s head, snapping her from her thoughts. The apparition uneasily glanced up, confusion written on her face.

Triumphantly, Glimmer held a stack of colorful paper bills in one hand and raised her fist in the air. She proudly puffed out her chest, sticking her tongue at Bow. In retaliation, Bow narrowed his eyes and brought the few bills he had closer to him. He scoffed, mockingly turning away from Glimmer. 

Catra blinked.

“Whatever, I’m still winning.”

“You owe me rent!” Glimmer pointed at one of the squares on the blue board game. “You landed on my property!”

“Gee, that’s all you ever accuse people of.” The ghost chimed, aware that the conversation had nothing to do with her or the topic of rent. She loved giving her two cents in, though, and annoying Glimmer was a new hobby she developed. It was just so easy to do!

The ex-heiress glared at Catra. 

“Don’t start! You owe me rent, too!”

“I literally have never held a single dollar in my life.”

“Not in real- paper money, Catra!”

She snickered. 

It had only been two weeks since their first encounter. In all honesty, Catra figured the eccentric duo would do all the research in the world and come to the conclusion that change could never happen. They’d probably come once to sell the building without her consent. Their deal would have gone to hell and Catra would have stayed in limbo for the next couple of centuries, forever cursing the generation of Sparkles and Crop Tops to come. 

Instead, they came every other day to visit. At first, they’d bring information about ghosts and brainstorm on what Catra needed to do. Glimmer was working on manipulating the last of her contacts to get a full list of orphans. Her hope was that they could then get an accurate description of who Catra used to be, assuming those records existed. Catra doubted a shady business would have squeaky clean records at some point in time.

Bow was ready to go full private investigator mode and pin down anyone who survived the Horde to ask questions. Of course, that was more of a last resort approach. That and no one would feel comfortable doing so.

Catra didn’t mind. Whatever worked, worked. The fact that the two were still so passionate about completing their side of the deal meant more than her ego would allow her to share. Her part of the compromise was easy- she’d move on and leave this building behind. 

Afterwards, they’d show up just for the sake of showing up. It shocked Catra, and she even tried pushing them away with lame excuses and the occasional hissing. At this, the two just rolled their eyes. Glimmer and Bow insistes on arriving, sometimes bringing their college textbooks and snacks. They’d sit down and do homework in the library while Catra drew in her sketchbook. They even began to teach Catra whatever lesson they were on, claiming it was a good way to study. 

Catra didn’t mind. Only so little could be captured of the outside world in the books she read. Learning about mathematics was actually interesting, and the ethics classes Bow had were a good read. 

Other times, Bow brought board games. Catra learned to play monopoly, bingo, connect four and speed. She was taught more card games by Glimmer, who happily showed her how to play poker and gamble. There were more games to play, and Bow assured her they’d have time to teach her. They also showed her something called a phone and a speaker. Music, they called it, would blast throughout the library. 

Catra didn’t mind. Their visits brought her warmth and made her heart flutter. Strangely, it was as if the visits were enough to make her stop feeling so lonely. She would never admit it to them, much less to Glimmer. She shuddered, not willing to give the girl a compliment. Who knew what  _ that _ would do to Sparkles and her ego.

“You know, we could always bring you more stuff from home.” Glimmer started as the game wrapped up. Bow declared bankruptcy as Glimmer led the way. Catra wasn’t even sure how to play, regardless of the amount of calm instruction the boy did, so she spent her time moving her figure around and praying no one noticed. “Just ask.”

She bit her bottom lip, picking at the rough rug underneath her. She had enough books for another couple of years (if boredom sufficed) and Bow already gifted her a deck of cards. What else could she possibly want? 

“I think...I’m good.”

“It doesn’t have to be  _ games _ , we could, I dunno. Get you clothes or music or paint. You like to draw.” Bow piped, smiling warmly at the ghost. 

Catra surveyed Glimmer carefully. Unlike her best friend, Glimmer was wearing hoodies most of the time. Black and white hoodies with leggings and sneakers, to be precise. Bow was the one who always wore something different everyday- different colored crop top with either black skinny jeans, blue jeans, leggings and even once joggers. He also matched his shirts with earrings and bracelets, and she began to note his adoration for bright colors in particular.

“Maybe a hoodie.” Catra awkwardly gestured to Glimmer. “I like hers.” 

“Consider it done!”

The next visit, Bow handed her a maroon hoodie.

“To match your suit!” He exclaimed. “I think it’s your color.”

“So, if you’re a ghost, can you talk to other ghosts?” Glimmer asked out of the blue, prompting Catra to roll her eyes and groan. She finished slipping on the hoodie and fiddled with the strings. 

“If I could, I wouldn’t be so-”

“Lonely?” The pink-haired girl stuck out her tongue, mocking Catra as she slammed another ethics textbook on the table. “Admit it, you like our company!”

The few days Bow and Glimmer arrived with their backpacks and no textbooks were the days they meant business. They’d talk briefly on information Glimmer gathered about the Horde. They’d print article upon article, and Bow even went as far as looking into his parents’ private archives for more readings.

Catra would read the articles and shrug. To her, the horrors of the Horde were something she simply knew. They were intertwined with her core- she’d never escape from their anguish, even if she had no memory of it.

Glimmer read them. 

The ghoul didn’t understand why the ex-heiress did. Glimmer inhaled and ingested each and every word and took them to heart. 

The atrocities of the horde, the inexplicable torture, were registered deep within her mind. She knew the girl couldn’t sleep the first week, pondering how people could be so mercilessly cruel. 

Catra could tell all that by the bags underneath her eyes, unless the issues she had were also driving her sleep away.

“It doesn’t take a genius to imagine what they did.” Catra explained to her, trying to coax the girl from feeling pity. “I already knew- I’m not all in the dark.” 

Still, she asked for any and all articles they could find. Bow would provide, Glimmer could only supply business notes. She didn’t want to know more. 

“So, I have a bit of a plan in motion.” Glimmer spoke up, ignoring the way Bow’s eyebrow raised. 

The trio were in the library with Catra floating on top of the table, legs crossed as she flipped through staples pages. Bow was laying down on brown carpet and Glimmer sat on a wooden chair, attempting to pay no mind to Catra’s hovering figure. 

“Proceed.” Catra replied, waving a dismissive hand. It was an obvious attempt at pissing Glimmer off, but the girl knew better than going against the ghoul again. Also, Bow’s head was hurting during the day and she wasn’t going to cause another headache.

“Bow and I live together and we got a roommate. Turns out, she’s an ex-Horde orphan.”

Catra immediately looked up, blue and golden eyes meeting lilac.

“Really?”

“Yeah. And she was a real activist abou-”

“Glimmer.” Bow began. “You told me bringing Adora-” 

“That’s her name?” The ghost cut in.

“Yeah, that’s her name-”

“Glimmer.” Bow said once more, only his tone was more stern. The young man stood up, towering over the two. “You said bringing Adora was because she was a, y’know,  _ good person _ . And she was over the age limit so we could buy drinks- but that’s besides the point! You didn’t tell me she was an orphan from the Horde!”

“You didn’t Google her name?” The pink-haired girl questioned, tilting her head. 

Bow’s left eye twitched before he shook his head and threw his hands up.

“Okay, screw me for not doing research.”

“Aren’t you a history major?” The ghost piped, smirking. 

“Minor!” He corrected. “Besides the point, I like Adora and I think if you’re going to be her friend only to get information out of her to-” 

“We were already texting her and told her to come over before we met Catra.” She defended. “It’s a really crazy coincidence, Bow. But it’s just that. And I like her, too! But if she lived through the Horde then maybe she met Catra, or at least knows  _ something _ .”

It took Bow some time to sit down and think. His bottom lip quivered as he slouched in his seat, ignoring the glare Catra was giving him. Glimmer was back to her devices, picking at lint on her hoodie and waiting for her best friend to respond.

“Okay, fine. But you do the talking.” Bow announced. “I’ll come up with, I dunno, an unexpected event with my dads and you two can talk tomorrow and bond. Then we’ll see what happens.”

“Can I see her? I mean, a photo of her. Maybe that can awaken some memories...” Catra asked, resting her head on her palms. The ghost was always quiet during their serious conversations. She had the occasional snarky comment, but learned to let Bow and Glimmer talk and then add on after they were done.

Glimmer took out her phone from her pocket, pulling up one of Adora’s social media accounts. 

“You said you were gonna teach me how to use a phone thingy.” Catra whined, recalling an earlier chat.

“Please, I can’t imagine the things you’d text us. Also, I’m broke and can’t afford another line.” Glimmer snickered. “Look, her name’s Adora.”

The curious phantom cocked her head and frowned, eyeing the girl on the screen. A young, tall and pale woman with blonde hair stood in front of a field of sunflowers. She held a golden award plaque, inscribed with the words  _ “University of Brightmoon’s Valedictorian” _ . She had a huge (and beautiful) smile on her face, blue eyes ready to take on the world. 

“Does she look familiar?” The only male present broke the silence. 

Adora looked strikingly similar to the girl in the polaroid. In fact, she was sure if she pulled out the photo of her and sided it with Adora’s, they’d be almost identical. 

Her heart stopped. She clung to the photo of the strange girl since the day she found it. It was the only hint of her past life that remained- a remnant of a past she longed to remember. Her heart ached with an odd sensation of nostalgia every time she gazed into pools of blue. The hesitation of leaving this world and entering another always came after. It was as if she was drawn to this girl, as if she was meant to walk side by side.

Catra blinked.

“No.”

Catra needed to leave. 

This girl, whoever she was, wouldn't stop her.

-

Adjusting to her roommates hadn’t been an easy task. In fact, Adora thought she deserved a trophy or certificate of sorts. She found them to be comfortably dysfunctional for each other (okay, dysfunctional in an outsider’s perspective). She learned their quirks and the little cues they had for each other in the short amount of time they were together, although it was really hard to read the mood of the room sometimes. 

It was also difficult to read signs. Adora was notoriously  _ bad  _ at it and one could only really blame the years spent in the Horde for it. She wasn’t all that sure when Glimmer and Bow needed their own time. Most of their inside jokes came from years of knowing each other, and she couldn’t help feeling left out. She supposed it was to be expected. Adora was a third wheel, after all. 

It was even worse if she found Glimmer crying or in emotional distress (which was common lately).

That, sadly, happened a week ago by accident when she could no longer avoid doing so. Adora shared a bathroom with Glimmer- a fact she paid no mind to. She didn’t need much room except for her basic necessities, and Glimmer often got ready in her own room. Except this time, Adora entered the bathroom and walked into Glimmer full on crying while looking at the mirror. The young woman was hurriedly trying to wash off her tears, only for her to freeze when hearing the door swing open.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Adora nervously rambled, pushing a strand of blonde hair away as she backed up from the room. “I’m sorry, I’ll knock next time!”

Before Glimmer could react, she ran off and sealed herself in her room. She only came out when the digital clock on her nightstand read  _ 8:00 p.m. _ She knew Glimmer and Bow would always leave at eight every other day of the week for some reason and come back around midnight. She didn’t question what they were doing, even if they didn’t look like the type to go clubbing more than twice a week.

She hadn’t really talked to Glimmer after the fact. They exchanged friendly conversation, eating over dinner and making plans to go hang out later on. Glimmer liked to suggest going to ninety-nine cents stores and Adora wanted to go sightseeing. Of course, both never really meant it. 

Today was different. Bow announced last-minute plans to visit his dads and invited the two to join along. His best friend shot down the invitation, saying she had to look over some research for her class and then look at more business plans. Adora politely turned him down after Glimmer did, because she didn’t feel comfortable enough to meet family. 

She came to love and adore Bow. Still, she wanted to head to her room and have alone time.

“Hey, Adora. Can we talk?” 

Glimmer stood in her doorway, awkwardly crossing her arms over her chest. Lilac eyes avoided blue, looking instead at the floorboards.

Adora looked up from typing in her laptop, pulling an earbud out. She tensed, swallowing. Hastily, she reached out and turned on the lamp in her dark room.

The conversation she was aching to avoid was now unavoidable.

“Yeah, of course! What’s up?”

Without answering, Glimmer climbed into Adora’s bed and kicked off her slippers. She sighed, tucking her knees underneath her arms as she finally met Adora’s gaze.

The blonde’s heart stopped briefly. She took it as a sign of trust. A sign of familiarity, she reasoned. Was Glimmer this comfortable with Bow? No, she was obviously more. This was just a start.

“I know I have some, well, issues happening. I mean, life is really kicking my ass and I know we’re just roommates. But I don’t want things to be, you know, weird between us. I don’t often go around crying in rooms. Life just-”

“Happens.” Adora nodded, closing her laptop and scooting closer to Glimmer. “I get it. I just didn’t want to cross any boundaries and stuff. I’m not sure how’d you react if I did.” 

“Thank you for understanding. Bow and I have always been best friends.” She looked away at this point. “We always pushed each other to our limits. Growing up, we thought we were bigger than the world. And that’s how we lived.”

They stayed in silence before she began again.

“I want us to be friends. I know you and Bow get along really well and I think you’re great. I’ve never been good at this and oh wow I’m rambling.”

Glimmer being open came off as a surprise to Adora. She wasn’t her first roommate. Adora had some odd relationships with her previous roommates in college. Most of them were just roommates- nothing too sentimental, nothing too distant. They were people she could just watch Netflix with and agree to split ramen with. Yet it was relieving to receive openness from someone like Glimmer, who always seemed out of reach for people like  _ her _ .

“I’d like that. Being friends, I mean. Why not?”

The young Filipino beamed, gesturing at Adora to come along.

“Okay, let’s go watch Netflix in my room- stop being locked in your room! We can get ice cream!”

-

Talking to Adora required lots of confidence and pep talk. Glimmer wasn’t known for being the one who’s words moved a crowd- that was Bow. Sure, she was stubborn, but Bow always took care of the whole talking thing in high school. She learned to reach out more in college, but speaking to Adora was still daunting.

After Bow left, Glimmer summoned all her courage and sauntered to her roommate’s room, prepared to have a chat with her that would eventually lead to them hanging out. Her hope was that the two could be friends and slowly get closer, as Catra later advised the day before.

Glimmer shifted in her bed, taking a spoonful of rocky road ice cream in her mouth. Adora was lying next to her, a pint of strawberry in her hands. They were both watching a detective show, something Adora actually really enjoyed. Glimmer did as well, but it reminded her too much of hospital programming. It brought bitter memories of her mother’s last days. Regardless, she watched for the sake of bonding with the blonde.

Small talk was made between the two. Glimmer learned that Adora had moved from the south up to Brightmoon when she was eighteen. She said she studied poly science and minored in criminal justice. Also, she listened to country music and got a horse named Swift Wind for her sixteenth birthday.

Adora learned about Glimmer. She learned that, unlike her horse gift, she received these very apartments as a gift. She was fluent in five languages and was studying to be a lawyer, but she wasn’t sure about that anymore. Also, she didn’t like country music.

“I have a really good Spotify playlist.”

“Nope!”

The taller of the two chuckled, shaking her head. “Fine, I know what not to play around you.”

“Hey Adora, do you believe in ghosts?” Glimmer casually asked, eyes glued to the screen.

Adora paused. 

“When I was younger, they used to scare us with the story of the weeping princess. It's still kinda scary.” She stopped. “Yeah, I do.”

That was it! An entrance! 

Twirling a pink colored spoon, Glimmer cocked her head to the side and nodded slowly. She played with her food, pretending to laugh lightly. She couldn’t mess this up.

“Oh, did your parents use to scare you with ghost stories? I wish my mom did that. My mom just talked about going bankrupt on Halloween.” 

Glimmer was probing and Adora didn’t notice. It was all she needed- the perfect way to set up a long, lengthy, gut-wrenching story. In the world of business, this was child’s play. It was a simple maneuver, an indirect way to provoke conversation. Glimmer knew the answer but was waiting to hear Adora’s reaction. This way she would know how to prepare for deeper talks.

“Well,” discomfort washed on the blonde’s face. She scooted a little back, hugging her knees as a sigh parted from her lips. “I was a foster kid for most of my life, actually.”

“I didn’t know, so-”

Blue eyes nervously looked up, a frown drawn on her face. 

“It’s fine, you didn’t know.”

Except she did.

Examining her features, the young woman pondered on how to proceed. She could always just expand on the topic further. The frown on her face told her otherwise, so she decided to lightly drop the topic. Of course, not before sharing a little insight on her own life.

It would have to wait. Just a little longer, anyway. Trust was gained with time. Catra waited years- a few months more meant nothing as long as there was progress.

The thing about her and Adora was that they shared one thing in common- the loss of their parents. Adora was an orphan from the start (well, she  _ assumed _ ). Glimmer lost her father fairly young, and her mom dropped sick in the middle of the day.

“My dad died when I was six.” Glimmer began, scratching the back of her head. “I’m very blessed. I was left with my mom and a legacy, but I guess money can’t really raise you. After he died, my mom was always stacking her pennies, worried she’d end up like my dad.”

“Glimmer, I’m sorry. About your mom and your dad.”

“Don’t be. My point is that we didn’t live through the exact same experience but we did live through some stuff.” She smiled gently. “Bow and I are a family. You live with us now and you’re going to be part of our little family. But if you think that’s too much then I get it, sorry!”

Adora furrowed her eyebrows.

“No, don’t worry. Seriously, I think...I think I’d like that.” 

They both stared back at the screen, ice cream melting in their bowls. Glimmer ignored the faint purple light emitting from her lava lamp, closing her eyes and clutching to a pillow. 

Bow and her were a family. A messed up, all-that-was-left type of family. She knew Bow had his fathers and a long, long list of siblings while Glimmer had grown up as an only child. Her earliest memory was her waiting by the door for her mom to come back from a business trip. All she had for so long was her mother, and now the Queen of Brightmoon was gone.

She faltered for a second. It’d be nice to have someone who wasn’t Bow in her life. She knew, under Bow’s judging gaze, she was using Adora. She was practically selling Adora for a quick buck.

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. It was an ugly feeling, a kick to her stomach and a rude awakening. She was using Adora. Her mind raced to justify itself, pleading that getting closer to Adora was because she chose to be close to the young woman.

If Catra didn’t exist, then this would still be happening. She’d still be getting close to Adora, and she wouldn’t even feel guilty for it.

Catra.

She huffed, her thoughts running to the ghoul. If Catra were alive, would Glimmer treat her with the same kindness? Her imagination wasted no time in drawing up a world where Catra’s heart was still alive and beating. She imagined the ghost and her bickering through rounds of Monopoly games, Adora and Bow helplessly watching from aside. 

It dawned upon her that if her mother were alive, they’d be alive and in Europe somewhere. Bow was probably tagging with them in a week or so, tricking his parents into thinking he was trying to capture the essence of Athens. Adora would be arriving at someone else’s front door with five boxes, and Catra would mope in the walls of the orphanage forever.

Life was weird.

Not dolce like the sign in her apartments.

Sliding an eye open, she peeked at the blonde. Adora was sitting up, watching the television. She didn’t look back at her roommate, probably distracted by her own thoughts. The show was replaced by a law school drama, and the ex-heiress visibly pouted.

Adora noted.

“So you studied business for law school?” She asked, trying to revamp their talk.

“Mhm. Mother advised me to study business or economics. She didn’t think I’d take the law school route, but I guess she wasn’t so surprised when I told her I was studying for the LSAT.”

“And you’re going to be taking that in..?” 

“I took it once for practice in the beginning of junior year. I was planning on taking it again, but I don’t know anymore. Stuff’s kinda in the air for me.” She sighed sadly. 

“It’ll work itself out. I’m sure of it.”

Glimmer looked at her bowl again, placing it on her nightstand and nodding.

“Yeah, I guess so. But what about you, what’s next now that you’re done with college?”

Adora blinked. She pressed a finger to her chin, inhaling.

“Same here. I was never sure about poly sci or criminal justice. I was passionate about activism…”

The pink-haired girl visibly perked up, eyes widening at the mention of activism. Thoughts of She-Ra resurfaced. She bit her tongue, deciding not to let herself impulsively bring the name up.

“But I have a job opportunity with a local organization, so I think I’ll do that while I figure it out.” Adora finished. “It’s up in the air for me too.”

“What’s the organization for?”

“Foster care, actually.” Sheepishly, her gaze traced down the white bedsheet. “It’s trying to reform how the system is. I guess my orphan roots were good for something after all.”

Glimmer stared momentarily, remembering the horrors of the Horde. Every word came to fruition within her mind and she wondered how Adora did it.

_ ‘The same way Catra does.’ _

Except Catra didn’t remember, Adora did. 

Guilt tugged at her heart and Glimmer pushed the sensation away, focusing on the show instead. 

She didn’t notice the way the blonde studied her with narrowed eyes, as if calculating. 

Glimmer was, in many ways, raised to be distrusting. Years of business studies taught her to be. Enemies could be lying anywhere, with plastered friendly faces while they seeked to ruin the empire of Brightmoon. Yet as distrusting as she should have been, loneliness tore down the efforts Queen Angella pushed on her daughter. It blinded her at times, wanting her to jump at the chance to make friends. 

Maybe Adora really would just be a friend.

“Well, it’s getting late.”

It was barely ten. Glimmer was a known insomniac. She was a night owl and a creature of the night. Adora probably knew this. If she did, she pretended to buy the story.

The blonde scooped up an empty carton of ice cream and smiled at Glimmer.

“Alright, I’m on cleanup kitchen duty tonight. I’ll leave the light on for Bow.” She gave the smaller girl a thumbs up. “Night, Glimmer.”

“Night, Adora.”

The cotton haired-girl waited for Adora to leave the room and shut the door behind her before pulling her sheets off her body, hands reaching for her laptop. The thin, silver macbook felt cool between the palms of her hands and she sighed. Turning the device on, she opened a webpage and began browsing.

She spent the night pouring her heart into her research. Stories of ghosts and the occasional tale of nonsense took her night. Late into the hours of the night, Glimmer plugged herself into a world of deadly creatures and strange summonings. She refused to search more about the Horde, so she limited her research to Catra only. What Catra needed, why she was stuck in the Horde- questions that only brought more questions. 

She narrowed down her conclusion to a couple of possibilities. Probably what she assumed was Catra had unfinished business. Another legend suggested when Catra died, someone refused to let her go. She couldn’t cross over and therefore Catra stayed in the orphanage. They had to find this person and force them to let Catra go. Third, Catra had karma to pay back. She did something  _ bad _ during her lifetime, and the amount of bad was enough to punish Catra into staying as a lingering spirit.

Glimmer analyzed the theories carefully. The third idea was easiest to discard at first, but then Glimmer remembered they didn’t know who Catra was before. Yes, the Horde was full of unimaginable horrors and terrors. Orphans were tortured there. But Catra was an orphan, right? They always assumed that. No news reports or public reports they read indicated anyone besides the orphans died. There was no way Catra was  _ that  _ bad. 

Or could she have been? 

Glimmer labeled it unlikely, ignoring the nabbing feeling of doubt.

The first two were more likely. They were also intertwined, but Glimmer cursed the idea of a second party being involved. How could they find that person? Most importantly, how could they rush the grieving process? It was illogical, even downright disgusting. Glimmer briefly imagined being the second person in the equation and her mother taking the role of Catra. If two strangers were to come rushing to her to let go of her mother’s memory, she wouldn’t be sure what to do. It wouldn’t be a pretty feeling, though.

No matter how she looked at it, she needed Adora. She desperately  _ needed _ Adora’s guidance. Even then, there was no guarantee Adora crossed paths with Catra. There had to be something, though! 

She heaved, tossing her arms in frustration. Sleepiness was clouding her mind and she cursed Bow for taking the last energy drink.

As if on cue, the boy stumbled into the room. Glimmer shut her laptop and groaned, fumbling to turn on the light.

“You’re past your curfew.” She teased.

The young man chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he anxiously sat next to Glimmer. The clock read twelve and the two knew they needed to adjust their sleeping schedules. For a moment, Glimmer envied Adora, who was probably sleeping soundly in her own room. The young woman was always fresh and ready for the morning.

“Dads were busy rambling.” He explained. “Oh, they baked some cupcakes for you, I put them away for tomorrow morning.” 

“I’ll text them thanks in the morning.” She gave him a grin.

“So...how did it go?” He inquired, pulling off the brown coat he was wearing. Glimmer eyed the full sleeved shirt he wore underneath in place of his crop tops. His parents were beyond okay with his preference of clothing, but Bow occasionally fell into the old habit of hiding his fashion taste. 

“I didn’t get much out of her.” She started. “She just told me she was an orphan and was working on an organization for the improvement of foster homes.”

“Well, it’s a start.” Bow frowned. 

“Look, I know you don’t like this plan and that you would rather-”

“It’s not that.” He shook his head, looking at his best friend in the eye. “I get that this is big for you. You need to sell that place and pay stuff off, and I like Catra. I know we can help her move on.”

“Then?” Glimmer tilted her head and raised a brow. “What’s the issue?”

Bow stayed silently, shadows dancing on his face. The silence lingered for a few more seconds, as if Bow was carefully trying to pick his words.

“Your mom died, Glimmer. I tried brushing over it when the funeral happened.” He began gently. “I want to help Catra. I want to be close to Adora. I’m not in for this plan because I’m worried it’ll hurt you, somehow. There’s a lot to unpack, you know?”

“But you’re here, Bow!” Glimmer reached for his hand, squeezing it. “We’re here for each other. Always have been.”

“And I’ll always be here, okay? Don’t rush yourself in- and remember it’s okay to take a step back.”

They stayed that way for most of the night. It had been routine at some point after Angella’s death- Bow stayed in his best friend’s bed as they embraced each other. It was soothing for the young duo. Being able to know they would always have each other was enough to motivate them to continue to the next day, even when the world fell apart around Glimmer.

Glimmer wasn’t sure what time Bow left. She assumed it was around two a.m., when he deemed it was too late and he still needed to go to class tomorrow. 

She woke without Bow in a cluster of books and printed articles scattered around her. Her laptop lied on the floor, drained of all battery. She sat up hastily, groaning in disgust. Checking her phone, she realized it was nine in the morning. Bow was long gone, having lecture at nine. 

Mentally preparing herself for the day, she tossed the sheets over her head and rolled back in her bed. Closing her eyes, the young woman slept until her blonde roommate came in to wake her with news of her own.

  
  


While she slept, she dreamt of a world in her mother’s arms. Angella was there, holding her tightly as they traveled the world and finally settled back home. The sound of laughter rang across their home, and the smell of baking filled the air. Her mother was still clinging onto her, alive and present and laughing.

“Oh, Glimmer.”

Glimmer smiled.

”Mom, I missed you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just graduated high school and college let’s go! Might fuck around and update more often ahahha. Take care y’all :’) next chapter will be a RIDEEE

**Author's Note:**

> yes, im going to update hey adora dont hang up in a week. i have all my exams this week and i wrote this during a fever dream.
> 
> also theres probs some errors in this chapter so ill clean those up soon! i just rly wanted to post this


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